Ryan Garko has averaged 490 at-bats in each of the last two years as the Indians' first baseman. Whether Garko gets that many at-bats in 2009 remains to be seen.
It's very possible that Garko will not, given a series of events in 2008 that could reduce his playing time in 2009. One of those was the emergence of backup catcher Kelly Shoppach, who led American League catchers in home runs with 21 while filling in most of the season for injured starting catcher Victor Martinez. Martinez will be back in 2009, but manager Eric Wedge said he plans to give Shoppach more than a backup catcher's allotment of at-bats. That means Shoppach will get more starts behind the plate, with Martinez moving to first base on those days, bumping Garko to the bench.
Another factor was Garko's inconsistent production in 2008. Although he finished the season with a team-high 90 runs batted in, Garko had an up-and-down season. In the first half of the season, when the Indians struggled to score runs, Garko hit only .241, compared to .319 after the All-Star break.
Wedge would like to see more consistent production from Garko in 2009. Another slow start could lead to more time for Garko on the bench and more time for Martinez at first base.
In order to find other ways to get Garko playing time, Indians officials plan to give him some playing time in left field during spring training. If the right-handed hitting Garko shows he can play a passable left field, he could get some starts at that position during the regular season because the Indians' outfield is heavy with left-handed hitters.
